What makes great leaders? Insights from the military and business world with @vincefowler

The Interview

Throughout my career I’ve often wondered, what makes great leaders? I’ve been fascinated by both kinds of leadership, those who simply hold the title and those who have earned the trust and respect of a following. As the business climate becomes more disruptive and the pace of change increases, leaders are more important than ever.

What is it that makes great leaders unique? What skills, talents and characteristics do great leaders have and develop? What does it take to have people follow a person and not just a title? These are the things I want to learn and share so I asked my friend and executive business coach Vince Fowler to shed some light on the subject.

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Total Running Time: 45 mins.

You can listen to the interview by clicking play below or by downloading the file HERE.

About Vince

Vince Fowler is an inspiring leader in the Calgary business community. Through his company, the Vested Interest Group, Vince helps coach leaders and executives make a positive and measurable difference in their business and lives of others.

A Veteran of the Canadian Armed Forces, Vince has deep experience and incredible insights about what makes great leaders.

3 Leadership lessons from Vince

The most respected leaders are those who

1. Lead by example.

2. Get buy in from the troops.

3. Have empathy for troops and hold them accountable.

The Questions

1. You were deployed to Somalia in the early 1990s. I can only imagine there were some very extreme situations. What are the 3 most memorable lessons you learned about leadership there?

2. Has leadership in the military needed to adapt to more networked opponents?

3. After your military career, you transitioned to business. What do you see as the biggest challenge facing leaders today?

4. What is one mistake you see leaders making more often than others?

5. What is one characteristic that you believe every leader should own?

6. As an organization gets larger there is a tendency for the “institution” to dampen the “inspiration.” How do you keep this from happening?

7. Does social media change anything about leadership?

8. Should employees do what they are told or does a leader need to worry about building culture?

9. How do you make sure employees within an organization align to the leaders vision?

10. What is one thing can a leader do today to help their employees and company grow?